Looping mechanism for shuttleless looms



Qct..12, 1937. c, F. SCHLEGEL LOOPING MECHANISM FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed June 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet l mummlummu INVENTOR. 12 anzmaz yel 0a. 12, 1937. c. F. sHL| :GEL 2,095,480

LOOPING MECHANISM FOR SHUTTLELESS LOO MS Filed June 19, 1957 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 NYENTOR.

@TLFS eZ BYC 59M Oct. 12, 1937. c. F. SCHLEGEL LOOPING MECHANISM FOR SHUTTLEL-ESS LOOMS Filed June 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 ,INVENIOR.

'WW zMW -Oct. 12, 1937. c. F. SCHLEGEL LOOPING MECHANISM FOR SHUTTLELESS LOOMS Filed June 19, 1937 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR QU'Z mc/lf'yez I BYJO I may Patented Oct. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES 2,095,480 LOOPING MECHANISM FOR, SHUTTLELESS LooMs Carl F. Schlegel, Brighton, N. Y., assignor to The Schlegel Manufacturing Company, Rochester, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application June 19, 1937, Serial No. 149,188

8 Claims. (Cl. 139124) ,This invention concerns a shuttleless loom, sometimes called a needle loom. In such a loom, as is well known in the art, the weft strand or filling strand must at each operation of the needle, be looped around one of the selvage strands running along one edge of the strip being woven.

Devices for accomplishing this looping are, in general, known in the art. An object of the present invention is to provide an improved and more satisfactory looping mechanism than those heretofore known.

Another object is to provide such looping mechanism so designed that no twist will be produced in the selvage strand around which the weft strand is looped, thus enabling very fine and fragile selvage, strands to be employed, when desired, with less danger of breakage than exists when using the looping mechanisms of the prior art.

Still another object is the provision of looping mechanism so designed as to avoid sharp corners scribed, the'novel features being pointed out in the claims at the end of the specification.

In the. drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view, partly diagrammatic, showing a loom equipped with the looping mechanism'of the present invention, with the parts in one position; 7

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1 with the parts in a different position;

Fig. 3 is a side elevation, partly diagrammatic, of the mechanism shown in Figs. 1 and2;

Figs. 4, 5, and 6 are views similar to a portion of Fig. 3, showing successive positions of the illustrated parts during a looping operation;

Fig. 7 is a side view of part of the looping mechanism, Viewed from one side;

Fig. '8 is a vertical section taken substantially on the line 8 8 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a horizontal section takenon the line 9--9 of Fig. 'l, with the bobbin removed for greater clearness;

Fig. 10 is a side view of part of the looping mechanism viewed from the opposite side from that shown in Fig. 'l;

Fig. 11'is an elevational view of the frame in which the rotatingpart of nism is mounted;

Fig. 12 is a fragmentary cross section through the bobbin holder, with the bobbin removed therefrom and with the bobbin holding latch in unlatched position;

Fig. 13 is a transverse section through the bobbin holder illustrating the thread tensioning device;

Fig. 14 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the rotary member of the looping mechanism;

Fig. ,15 is a diagrammatic plan of the looping mechanism and associated parts in one position, and

Y Figs. 16, 17, and 18 are similar views (with parts omitted) showing successive positions of the parts during a single cycle of operation.

The same reference numerals throughout the several views indicate the same parts.

Since the construction of shuttleless looms or needle looms is well known in the art, the details of the loom are not here illustrated, and except for the parts which are specifically illustrated and described, the loom may be constructed in any known manner. For example, it may include heddles 22 through which the warp strands 24 pass, the heddles being operated by any suitable Jmechanism to produce the shed of the strands. On .a cross beam 26 is mounted an oscillatory needle 28'which is oscillated in timed sequence with the heddles 22, by any suitable mechanism, sothat the point of the needle passes through the shed in known manner. The weft or filling strand 3!], supplied from a suitable spool, passes through an eye 32 located approxithe looping mechamately in alignment with the oscillatory pivot of the needle 28, and thence extends along the needle, through suitable guiding eyes or grooves, finally leaving the needle through an eye 3 through its tip end, as shown especially in Figs. 15 and 16. 1

A bracket 41! is mounted on the beam 26 to one side of the textile stripbeing woven, and extends transversely of the beam. An annular ring 42, integral with or suitably secured to the bracket ll), is formed to provide an internal annular guideway M in which is rotatably mounted a rotary member 56. The rotary member is preferably, though not necessarily, provided with gear teeth 48 around its entire periphery. An annular plate 50, secured to the member i2by screws 52, serves to hold the rotary member at in its guideway id, but permits free rotation of the rotary memberin the guideway. Preferably the width of the annular member 50 in a radial direction is such that the, inner periphery of the member 50 is approximately at the root line of the gear teeth t8, so that the plate 50 may be said to overlap the gear teeth, as shown, and this overlapping of the gear teeth by the stationary plate 56 holds the rotary member 46 against displacement from its guideway in a direction rightwardly when viewed as in Fig. 8. Leftward displacement of the rotary member from its guideway is prevented by an integral flange on the member 42, overlapping the outer or tip ends of the gear teeth 48 at their left hand sides, as shown.

The members 42 and 58 together form a stationary frame for holding the rotary member 46, and allow free rotation of the rotary member within the frame. The frame, though annular in general, is not entirely continuous in a circumferential direction, but is provided at one point, as shown especially in Fig. '7, with a notch extending entirely through the radial thickness of the frame parts 42 and58. This notch 56 lies in the plane of oscillation of the tip end of the needle 28, so that at each oscillation of the needle, the tip end thereof may pass through or closely adjacent to the notch 56, and thefilling strand 30 is laid in this notch as the needle passes the notch during oscillation in a counterclockwise direction when viewed as in Figs. 1, 2, and 15. The notch has curved flaring upper and lower walls, as shown in Fig. '7, to provide ample space for passage of the tip of the needle, and to insure entrance of the strand 38 into the notch.

In the interdental space between two of the teeth 46 of the rotary member 46 is a notch 58 (Fig. 14) extending'radially. inwardly to a point a small distance inside of the root line of the teeth. The bottom of the notch 58 is closer to the axis of rotation of the member 46 than the inner peripheral edge of the frame member 50. Thus, if the strand 36 be laid in the bottom of the notch 58 (when the latter is aligned with the notch 56 of the frame) and if the rotary member 46 be then rotated in the direction of the arrow 68 (Fig. '7) the strand 3!] will be carried around with the notch 58 and will be held against escape therefrom by the inner peripheral edge of the frame part 50, until the notch 58 is once more brought into alignment with the notch 56, at the end of one complete revolution,fat which time the strand 36 can escape from the notch 58. On that face of the rotary member 46 which is toward the textile strip being woven, there is an annular plate 62 secured by means of screws 64. The plate 62 is provided at one point with a notch 65 of substantially the same profile as the notch 56 in the frame members 42 and 50, the bottom of the notch 65 being aligned with the notch 58 in the rotary member. The inner peripheral edge of the plate 62 is undercut as shown in Figs. 8 and 9, to provide a circular bearing for the circular end. wall 66 of a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on the rotary member 46. In addition to this circular end wall 66 seated in the undercut guideway of the plate 62, the bobbin holder has a cylindrical wall 68 projecting axially from theend wall 66 in a direction toward the strip being woven. This wall 68 is not of uniform thickness throughout its entire circumference, but on the contrary the inner and outer cylindrical surfaces of the wall 68, while both preferably circular, are eccentric to each other so that the wall 68 is materially thicker at one point than at a diametrically opposite point. This greater thickness of the wall 68 at one point, as plainly shown'in Figs. 8 and 10, results in eccentric'weighting of the bobbin holder, and the eccentricity thereof is sufiicient so that when the rotary member 46 makes a revolution, the bobbin holder will not rotate bodily therewith but will remain substantially in the position shown in Figs. 8 and 10 with the thickest part of the wall 68 downwardly, although the effect of friction, during turning of the rotary member 46, may turn the bobbin holder somewhat from its normal position of rest. When rotation of the rotary member 46 ceases, the bobbin holder will swing back from its displaced position (if any displacement has occurred) to its normal position indicated in Figs. 8 and 10.

Centrally within the bobbin holder 68 is a hollow bearing post 16 extending from the end plate 66 in the same direction as the flange 68 and of approximately the same length as the height of the flange. Within this hearing post 16 is a coiled spring l2 pressing at one end against the end plate 66' and at the other end against a dished disk 14 slidable within the tube 78. A latch member 76, pivoted on a diametrical pivot 18 in the tube 78 may be swung from the latching position illustrated in Fig. 8 to the unlatching position illustrated in Fig. 12. Pressure of the disk 14 against the side of the latching member normally holds it in latching position, but when the long end of the latching member is swung outwardly to the position shown in Fig. 12, the short end thereof presses against the disk 14 and moves this disk against the tension of the spring 12, compressing the spring somewhat. Friction of the end of the latch 16 against the disk 14 will hold the latch in its open or unlatched position shown in Fig. 12 until external force is applied to move the latch back to its latching position shown in Fig. 8. r

A spool shaped bobbin 88 is rotatably mounted on the bearing post 10 and may be moved axially on to or oil of the bearing post when the latch is in the unlatching position shown in Fig. 12. When the latch is in the latching position of Fig. 8, it holds the bobbin against accidental displacement from the bearing post 16. The bobbin carries a supply 82 of selvage thread to form the selvage strand on that edge of the woven strip which is toward the looping mechanism. The thread 82 is led off of the bObbin and through a. hole 64 in the bobbin holder flange 68, as shown in Fig. 9, to the outer surface of the flange 68. Thence the thread extends along the outer surface to the edge of the flange 68, and around its edge and through an eye 86 'on the pivoted latch E6. The edge of the flange 68 over which the strand 82 runs is rounded so that there is no sharp corner to contact with the thread, and carefully polished so that no roughness is present which might abrade the thread. Similarly; the endsofthe hole 84 are flared or rounded toreduce the friction on the thread'BZ and prevent abrasion thereof. From the eye 86, the thread 82 passes to the edge of the strip being woven, as shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 15 to 18, and as well understood in the art.

On the outer surface of the flange 68 of the bobbin holder, there is mounted a leaf spring 88, one end of which overlaps the hole 64 and bears against the threadl82 as it emerges from the hole, as shown in Fig. 13, to produce the desired degree of tension on the thread. This leaf spring 88 is held by a screw 68 which may be tightened tomake the spring bear more heavily against the threadto increase the tension, or may be loosened to cause the spring to bear more lightly upon the thread'and decrease the tension.

In the thin part of the periphery of the flange 68 of the bobbin holder (that is,'the part of the bobbin holder which is uppermost or approximately uppermost when in its normal rest position) is an Opening 92 of substantial size, forming afwindowthrough which the attendant may at all times observe the amount of thread remaining on the bobbin, so as to be ready to removethe bobbin when the thread is exhausted and replace it with a full bobbin.

meshes with thegear teeth 48'on the rotary member 46, the bottom part of the frame mem- For rotating the rotary member .48 to carry the weft strand 3!] around the selvage strand 82 at the proper time, there is provided a shaft 98 on which is fixed a spur gear 98 (Fig. 3) which ber 42 being partially cut away in order to allow space for the gear 98. The shaft 98 has also fixed to it a sprocket I III] (Figs. 1 and 3) driven by a chain I02 from a sprocket I04 fixed to a shaft I06 to which is secured a pinion I08. This pinion is driven by a spur gear III) on. a shaft II2 which carries a Geneva disk II4 driven by a crank H8 and locked by a Geneva locking member H8, both mounted on a shaft I driven by any suitable mechanism intimed relation to the operation of the heddles'22 and the needle 28. ,The shaft I28 rotates continuously, but by virtue of the Geneva mechanism above described, the shaft H2 is driven intermittently or with a 'step-by-step motion, the driving commencing as the needle 28 nears or reachesthe end of its oscillation in. a counterclockwise direction (when viewed from above as in Figs. land2); Each increment of motion given to the shaft IIZ by one complete revolution of the shaft I20 is suflicient so that, with the multiplying effect of the gears I08 and I I0, the rotary member 48 is driven through exactly one complete revolution and is then stopped with the notch 58 of the rotary member again in alignment with the notch 56 of the stationary frame.

The operation of the device is as follows: Let it be assumed that the needle 28 is in its most clockwise position when viewed. fromabove as'in Figs.

land 2, so that it does not extend across the strip of material being woven. The heddles 22 are then operated by suitable mechanism to produce a shed in the warp strands 24, as indicated in Fig. 3.

Then the needle 28 moves in a counterclockwise direction, so that the point or tip of the needle shed. Toward the end of this swinging moveswings across the warp strands 24, through the shed, and lays the weft or filling strand in the ment, the needle lays the weft strand in the notch 56 of the frame parts 42 and 58, and in the notch 58 of the rotary member 48, which is stationary at this time. The parts are now in the position illustrated in Figs. 1, 3, and 15.

Then the crank IIB on the constantly rotating shaft I20 comes into cooperationwith one of the radial notches of the Geneva member II 4, and gives this member Hione increment of motion.

This, through the chain I82 and gear 98, turns the rotary member 46 in the direction of the arrow 60. As soon as the turning starts, 'the notch 58 in the rotary member is moved out of align-.

,ment with the notch 56 in the frame, so that the frame holds the strand 38 in the notch 58 and prevents radial outward displacement of the strand. As the turning movement of the rotary member lficontinues, this member and the strand 30 assume thesuccessive positions illustrated in Figs. 4, 5, and 6, respectively. Viewed in plan, the position shown in Fig. 16 corresponds approximately tothe position shown in elevation in Fig. 5. The needle 28 remains stationary or substantially stationary during this rotation of the roframe, at which time the rotation of the member 46 ceases. The rotary member is now back in the position illustrated in Fig. 3, and the weft strand 30'is wrapped around the selvage or bobbin strand 82 in the manner shown especially in Fig.17.

The needle 28 now moves back in a clockwise direction through the shed, from the position shown in Fig. 17 to the position shown in .Figs. 2 and 18." This movement of the needle draws a short additional length of the selvage strand 82 off of the bobbin 8!], as will be seen from comparing Fig. 17 with Fig. 18. The usual reel or comb (not shown) is operated to beat up the newly laid weft strands 38, the heddles are again operated to change the shed, and the oscillation of the needle is again repeated as before.- At each complete cycle-of operation, the weft strand 3!) is looped around theoutermost or selvage.

warp strand 24 onthat side of the woven strip which is farthest from the looping mechanism, 1

by reason of the change of the shed between successive oscillations of the needle, and is looped around the selvage strand 82 running along the opposite edge of the woven material, by the op eration of the looping mechanism forming the subject matter of this invention. 7

It is to be noted that, due to the mounting of the bobbin holder 88 in a freely rotatable manner on the rotary member 46 and due to the eccentric weighting of the bobbin holder, the holder does not rotate bodily with the member 48, and thus does not cause twisting of the strand tary member, until finally the notch 58 in the rotary member has once more been brought. around to alignment with the notch 56 in the 82, as would be the case if the entire bobbin holder rotated at each revolution of the member 46. Due to the absence of rotation of the bobbin holder,

and the smooth rounded corners provided for contact with the strand 82, and the adjustable tensioning device 88 whichcan be adjusted as desired, this looping mechanism is enabled 'to handle in a satisfactory manner fine and delicate threads or strands, which wouldbe subject to frequent breaking if they were used in looping mechanisms of various prior constructions. While the weft strand 8!) is being carried around the bobbin, the eye 3 of the needle 28 is substantiallyin alinement with the rotary axis of the member 46, as shown in Figs. .1, ,3, 15, and 16,

axially off of its trunnion I8, replacing a fresh bobbin thereon by a reverse operation. The window 92 also helps to lighten the weight of the upper side of the holder flange 88 with respect to the lower side thereof, thus increasing the eccentric weighting effect produced by thickening the lower side of the flange and further assuring non-rotation of the holder when the member 46 rotates.

While one embodiment of the invention has been disclosed, it is to be understood that the inventive idea may be carried out in a number of ways. This application is therefore not to be limited to the precise details described, but is in- 'may be laid, a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on said member for rotation with respect to said .member about an axis approximately coincident with thev rotary axis of said member, a bobbin rotatably mounted on said holder for holding the other strand to be looped, and means for rotating said rotary member to carry the strand laid in 'said recess around the bobbin strand, said bobbin holder being eccentrically weighted to tend to prevent said holder from rotating bodily with said rotary member.

2. Mechanism for looping one "strand around another, comprising an approximately annular frame. having a circular runway and a notch extending completely through the radial thickness of said frame at one point, a, rotary member mounted for rotation in said runway and having a strand receiving notch the outer end of which is farther from and the inner end of which is closer to the center of rotation of said member than the inner edge of said frame, a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on and projecting axially from said rotary member, a bobbin rotatably mounted on said holder and supplying one of the strands to be looped, strand guiding means on said holder through which the strand from the bobbin passes, means for preventing bodily rotation of said holder with said rotary member to avoid twisting said bobbin'strand, means for laying the other strand to be looped in said notch in said rotary member while said rotary member is substantially stationary, and means for rotating said rotary :member through a single revolution to loop 'said' last mentioned strand around said bobbin strand and for bringing said rotary member to rest at the end of said single revolution with said notch in said rotary member aligned with said notch in i said frame, so that the strand laid in said notch in said rotary member may be removed therefrom.

3. Mechanism for looping one strand around another, comprising an approximately annular 1 frame having a circular runway and a, notch extending completely through the radial thickness of said frame at one point, a rotary member mounted for rotation in said runwayand having a strand receiving notch the outer end of which is farther from and the inner end of which'is closer to the center of rotation of said member than the inner edge of said frame, a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on said rotary'member for rotation about an axis substantially coincident "with the rotary axis of said rotary member, said bobbin holder including an axially extending approximately cylindrical annular wall thicker on one side than on another side to produce eccentric weighting of said holder so that said holder will tend to remain with its heavier side downwardly when said rotary member rotates instead of rotating bodily therewith, a bobbin rotatably mounted at least partially within said annular wall of said holder for supplying one of the strands to be looped, needle means for laying the second strand to be looped in said notch of said rotary .member, and means for rotating said rotary'member with. said second strand in said notch. to carry said second strand around said holder and said bobbin to loop said second strand: v around said bobbin strand.

4. Mechanism for looping one strand around another, comprising an approximately annular frame having a circular runway and a notch extending completely through the radial thickness of said frame at one point, a rotary member mounted for rotation in said runway and having a strand receiving notch the outer end of which is farther from and the inner end of which is closer to the center of rotation of said member than the inner edge of said frame, a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on said rotary member for rotationabout an axis substantially coincident with the rotary axis of said rotary member, said bobbin holder including an axially extending approximately cylindrical annular wall thicker on one side than on another side to produce eccentric weighting of said holder so that said holder will tend to remain with its heavier side downwardly when said rotary member rotates instead of rotating bodily therewith, a bobbin rotatably mounted at least partially within said annular wall of said 'holder for supplying one of the strands to be looped, said annular wall having an opening therethrough for passage of said bobbin strand from said bobbin to the exterior of said annular wall, a spring mounted on the exterior of said annular wall and overlapping said opening and bearing against said strand to act as a frictional brake thereon, means for laying the: second strand to be looped in said notch of said rotary member, and means for rotating said rotary member to carry said second strand around said holder and said bobbin to loop said second strand around said bobbin strand.

5. Strand looping mechanism for looms, including a rotary member having a recess in which one strand to be looped may be laid, a bobbin holder rotatably mounted on said rotary member for rotation about an axis substantially coincident with the rotary axis of said rotary member, said holder including an approximately axially extending annular wall and a bearing post within said wall, a bobbin rotatably mounted on said post for supplying the other strand to be looped, said wall having an opening therethrough for passage of said bobbin strand from said bobbin to the exterior of said wall, a pivoted latch on one end of said bearing post for holding said bobbin on said post, a guiding eye on said latch, said bobbin strand passing from said opening along the outer surface of said wall and thence through said guiding eye, means for placing a strand in said recess a of said rotary member, and means for rotating said rotary member to loop said strand in said recess around said bobbin strand.

6. Strand looping mechanism as described in claim 5, further including spring means mounted on said wall of said holder for bearing against said bobbin strand to act as a frictional brake thereon. I

'7. Strand looping mechanism as described in claim 5, further including means for eccentrically weighting said bobbin holder so that it will tend to remain with its heaviest side downwardly and will not rotate bodily with said rotary member.

8. Strand looping mechanism as described in claim 5, in which said means for rotating said rotary member rotates said member with an intermittent step-by-step rotation and produces one completerevolution of said rotary member at each actuation thereof.

CARL F. SCHLEGEL. 

